A drawer-style air fryer could be useful if you often cook small portions and want to avoid using the oven’s full-sized cavity for every meal. If your oven already has plenty of room for the dishes you usually make, an air fryer may simply duplicate what you have. Check your available space, usable capacity, noise levels and cleaning requirements before adding one. The electricity savings found by UFC-Que Choisir for some small dishes compared with a 19 L mini oven won’t apply to every dish or every oven.
If you regularly make modest portions of roasted vegetables, side dishes or breaded food, a drawer-style air fryer could serve a different purpose from your larger oven bakes. Whether it’s worthwhile depends on how often you cook these meals and how much space you can spare.
A dual-compartment model is worth considering if you want to prepare a main and a side dish at the same time using different settings. Check that each compartment can actually fit the portions you need.
In a small kitchen or open-plan room, an extra appliance can take up valuable worktop space and affect your comfort. UFC-Que Choisir recommends considering the space it takes up and the noise from its fan before buying.
To choose between an air fryer and the oven you already have, start with the meals you cook most often. Then consider whether a new appliance would solve a specific problem.
Worth considering: for small portions you cook regularly, if you’d like to save the oven for larger dishes.
Bear in mind: it’s another appliance to find space for, clean and listen to as it runs.
Worth considering: if you regularly need to cook two things at once or make larger portions.
Bear in mind: it may take up more space, and the stated capacity doesn’t necessarily mean it can fit your larger dishes.
Keep using it: if it fits the dishes you usually make and you’d only use an air fryer occasionally.
Consider: a large cavity may be less convenient for frequent small batches. However, energy results depend on the dish and the oven used for comparison.
| Criterion | What to check before buying | Who is this for? |
|---|---|---|
| Small batches without duplicating what you have | Note which dishes you make several times a week and your usual portion size. Compare this with how you use your oven. | I often cook small portions and would like to avoid using the oven for each one. Around 31% of consumers would prioritise this need. |
| Capacity and cooking at the same time | Compare the internal dimensions with your dishes. For a two-zone model, check how much space each compartment offers. | I need enough room in each compartment to serve a main and a side dish without cooking multiple batches. Capacity would be a priority for around 31% of consumers. |
| Space and noise levels | Check the external dimensions, the ventilation clearance specified in the instructions and any independent noise measurements available. | In my open-plan kitchen, I don’t want another appliance taking up worktop space or making it harder to chat. Space and noise would come first for around 23% of consumers. |
| Cleaning and long-term use | Check which parts are removable, how they should be washed and what repair options are available for the model. | After meals, I want cleaning to be manageable and an appliance I’ll use often enough to keep. Around 15% of consumers would prioritise ease of cleaning and how long they’ll use it. |
UFC-Que Choisir points out that usable capacity determines how much you can actually cook. A large stated capacity doesn’t guarantee that your tin or roasting dish will fit in the basket.
Measure the dishes you use most often and compare them with the internal dimensions of each compartment.
In its tests using a small quiche and bread rolls, UFC-Que Choisir compared air fryers with a 19 L mini oven. Results depend on the food, the quantity and the appliance used for comparison.
Base your decision on the small dishes you cook regularly, without assuming you’ll get the same results with a large dish or several batches in a row.
UFC-Que Choisir notes that noise deserves particular attention and can vary between models.
Look for an independent measurement for the model you’re considering, and check the seller’s returns policy.
If your oven already does the same job for the meals you cook, an air fryer may simply add clutter and cleaning. UFC-Que Choisir highlights the risk of buying more equipment than you need.
Make a list of the meals you’d genuinely cook in an air fryer each week. If you’d use it only rarely, keep the oven as your main appliance.
The range includes single-basket models, larger formats and dual-drawer options.
The range includes both single-basket models and options with two drawers.
Ninja is among the air fryer brands covered by UFC-Que Choisir in its content about the French market.
This selection includes single-drawer models for smaller or larger portions, as well as dual-compartment formats for cooking separate dishes. Compare them with your current oven and the dimensions of your dishes before choosing.
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Worth considering if you regularly cook small portions rather than heating up the oven. The title gives a capacity of 3.2 L; check that the drawer suits your dishes and that you can position the appliance in line with its ventilation instructions. If your kitchen is open-plan, find out how noisy this model is too.
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Worth comparing if you want a single drawer for larger portions. The stated capacity is 6.2 L; measure your dishes and check your available space before choosing this format. Also check the noise level and the clearance needed around the appliance.
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Worth considering for modest portions if you’d like several settings in a single-drawer model. The title lists a temperature range of 35 to 200 °C and a 60-minute timer; these settings don’t guarantee a particular result for your recipes. Check the cleaning and ventilation instructions, and find out how noisy it is before buying.
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Worth considering if you want to cook two dishes separately rather than placing them in one drawer. The title lists a total capacity of 9 L, a power rating of 2,400 W and independent temperature settings. Compare the dimensions of each basket with your portions, and check the overall size and noise level for your kitchen.
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Worth comparing if you want to cook two separate dishes and a vertical format suits your kitchen. The title lists two compartments, a total capacity of 12 L and ten programmes. Check how much space it needs and whether each compartment can fit your dishes. Follow the cleaning instructions for the baskets rather than assuming they’re the same as for other parts.
Not necessarily. An air fryer is most useful if its drawers can fit the portions you cook regularly, while the oven remains handy for dishes that are too large. UFC-Que Choisir highlights the risk of duplicating appliances, so compare it with the meals you usually make before adding another one.
Start with the size of your portions and dishes, then check the basket’s usable dimensions. UFC-Que Choisir suggests 3 to 4 L for one or two people, 5 to 6 L for three or four, and at least 9 L for more than five people. It also reminds shoppers that the stated capacity doesn’t always reflect the space you can actually use.
No. Check the instructions for the specific model and each individual part. Moulinex France says that some parts of certain Easy Fry models are dishwasher-safe; that doesn’t automatically apply to the baskets, racks and accessories of other models.
It could be useful if you also want reheating or defrosting functions, but there’s no established general advantage over a convection oven. According to a study by the National Consumer Institute, cited by ADEME, efficiency varies by dish, model and brand. So compare its functions with those of the oven you already have.